An Old Man

Finding Ben Kenobi's hovel, feeling the surge of truth and power flow through me to my toes and knowing that a part of my written destiny had been realized -- all of this brought me up to a level of mental and emotional awareness that was difficult to process.

What's more, returning home to Dantooine and taking up my daily responsibilities once again felt hollow and empty in comparison. I felt like I had touched the true nature of the universe for a brief moment, only to be forced to let it slip through my fingers.

Maybe that's why I dismissed the old man at first. Maybe I was too wrapped up in my own conflicting emotions to notice, or even care, that he was studying me intently from a distance, leaning on a wooden staff and rubbing his chin.

I was leaning against the wall at the shuttleport in Crystal Point, a town that once thrived but had recently declined due to an insurgence of raids by Force crystal hunters. The town was located just South of the Crystal Caves, where many of the galaxy's most precious gems had been found. Crystal Point would have been a bustling metropolis, a huge mining town, if it hadn't been for the multitude of creatures that infested the Caves. The place was inhospitable, accessible to only the most hearty of adventurers. What's more, the crystal hunters, a nomadic band of scavengers who were reputed to wield weapons of mystical power, frequently preyed upon anything and anyone who neared the caverns. Their influence was great enough to have stifled the growth of Crystal Point considerably.

I had come to Crystal Point on a surveying mission, following the data from my mineral surveying tools as they pointed me toward a dense lode of metals that I could use as raw materials in manufacturing.

It was a good excuse, and a viable one, but nevertheless I knew that the real reason I had traveled out to this remote corner of Dantooine was the image of Obi-wan Kenobi's earthen hut, which had altered in my mind, changing from a source of inspiration to a haunting omen. I could not manage to stop thinking about it, and the Path I feared might have come to an end. For what was I to do now, that Master Skywalker's counsel had proven so significant, yet without result? I knew nothing more than I did a month ago. I had come far, but felt I had moved nowhere.

As my mind occupied itself with the arduous task of untangling this mess of thoughts, the old man finally approached me, scuffling up a small slope to stand before me.

"Maast Lofor," he said, "The Force is with you."

I looked up at him, my mind suddenly wrenched from its introspection. "How do you know that?" I asked, incredulous.

"I know a great many things, my dear boy," the man answered, "But some are more obvious than others. The Force is on you like bark on a tree, friend. A blind man could see it."

I started to look down at my body, before catching myself and blushing at my own foolishness. The old man didn't seem to notice.

"I need your help," he said.

I nodded. "Go on," I said.

The old man glanced around us furtively, then stepped closer. I saw now that he was dressed in the clothes of a simple pilgrim: wrapped boots, cloth pants and a baggy poncho of nondescript color and material. From beneath the worn garment, a gnarled hand suddenly produced a curious looking object. He held it out to me.

"I need you to protect this for me."

I looked at the object. It was a crystal, I saw now, transluscent and bluish in color. It had three protrusions, being in fact a cluster of crystals, and its facets were large and reflective. It seemed to glow from within. "What is it?" I asked.

He hesitated, as if unsure of how to respond. "It is a guide. It is a very useful object in the right hands."

"And those hands are mine?" I asked.

The old man shrugged. "I don't know, boy. Could be. All I know is that this crystal means more than my old life, and if I don't pass it on soon, both of those things are going to fall into the wrong hands."

"What do you mean?"

"You ever hear of the Sith?" he said. When I shook my head, he continued, "The Sith are Force users, but from the wrong side of the tracks, if you know what I mean. The Dark Side. Bad medicine. They caught wind of our little secret here, and they've been on my tail ever since I left Dearic. They'll catch up with me soon, unless I give this to someone who can properly protect it. You seem like the type."

Thoughts of my long, hard hours spent training in the arts of Fencing and Teräs Käsi flashed before my mind. I was indeed prepared for such a task. The possibility of that being a coincidence was now almost certainly ruled out.

I nodded, and accepted the crystal. I placed it in my pack, wrapped in a spare shirt and concealed as best I could.

"Listen," the old man said, "These Sith are up to no good. They've been causing a lot of trouble for the people where I come from. When they come after you -- and they will, believe me -- try and see what you can find out from them. Maybe you can discover some information that could be of help."

"Where do you come from?" I asked, "And how will I find you?"

"I come from Aurilia," he said, "And don't worry about it. You'll find me when you need to find me. Or," he said, a sly grin crinkling his weathered face, "I should say, I'll find you." With that he turned, and hobbled away just as the Crystal Point shuttle arrived behind me.

Homecoming

It was about another week before I was able to return to Tatooine. Business in Temple City kept me very busy. I was coordinating the immigration of another organization, the Galaxy Force Guild (, later to be restructured and renamed as Galaxy Force Seekers ) into Temple City. Their leader during this move was Voluptuous Forrestier; after the restructuring, Iavale Alici took over. Both were instrumental in boosting Temple City's population.

Once the initial arrangements were made, I left the final details to GFS and my Militia, and took a long-needed excursion to Tatooine. I declined passage on the express shuttle, less because it was an Imperial vessel than because of the more relaxing nature of the longer flight. A few days in space did much to reinvigorate my exhausted mind, and when I arrived on Tatooine I felt refreshed and ready to explore.

Finding Obi-Wan Kenobi's former residence was no easy task. This was advantageous in one sense, because the Empire had not been able to locate it, thus ensuring its survival (assuming the harsh environment of desert Tatooine had not destroyed it). Of course, it also meant that there was a lot of legwork to be done before I could find it myself.

My first stop was Bestine, where I still knew several locals, including a few of the bartenders in the cantina near the starport. It was good to catch up with old friends, but I found no leads in the Capitol. After a few Jawa Beers and some consideration, I decided to see what I could find out in Anchorhead, a city known to sympathize with the Rebels. I knew that Kenobi had been a Rebel sympathizer as well, so I figured that was as good a place as any to look.

In Anchorhead, several people I talked to seemed to know something, but were unwilling to voice it. It seemed that the Empire's reach was long, even here. Finally, in the underground level of a dusty, old cantina, I ran into a Rebel officer, undercover but recognizable to me from a small insignia he wore on his bandolier. I introduced myself as a soldier of the Alliance and explained to him what I was looking for. He considered, then told me a few names of people I should talk to in the remote town of Wayfar. They might be able to help further.

I boarded a shuttle for Wayfar and looked up the people the Rebel officer had told me about. A few I could not locate. I found the name of another, but it seemed he was dead. Only one was I able to meet in person. He only agreed to speak with me at an undisclosed location, and made me promise never to reveal his name. And, of course, he wanted several thousand credits for the information. After I gave my consent and my money, he told me that he knew the location of Kenobi's former home. He programmed the coordinates into my datapad, then scurried away into the shadows.

Bristling with anticipation, I hurriedly boarded my speederbike and opened up the throttle as far as it would go before I even left the gates of Wayfar. I had never expected to find success so soon - I half expected the information to be false and to find myself waylaid in the desert.

Sure enough, though, as I neared the location stored in my datapad, I saw a small, earthen hut, half covered in the yellow sand of the desert. I had found Kenobi's home.

Long abandoned, looted clean and scoured by time and weather, the hut would have held no interest for any passing observer. To someone who did not know its significance, it was simply another Tatooine home, abandoned long ago and left to the womp rats and scyks.

To me, however, it was a revelation. As I stepped through the doorway, I suddenly felt a surge of energy course through my body. I could see every detail with infinite precision. I was aware of everything around me at once. I sensed every movement, every tiny motion, from the scuttling of the dune beetles outside to the beating of my own heart in my chest.

My quest for enlightenment had opened a massive new door. This I knew instinctively.

The Force was with me.

The Alliance

Another major turning point in my life came with my decision to join the Rebel Alliance.

Obviously, mentioning specific details about this event and the process involved in joining that group would not be wise. There are those who deny the very existence of the Alliance, and many others who would not hesitate to execute any member of its ranks that they discovered. Therefore, I'll have to remain rather general about this topic.

My decision came when I finally realized that the Empire was having a direct impact on my life and business, and that the problems it was causing myself and my fellow citizens would not go away on their own. The constant harrassment in Imperial cities like Bestine was bad enough -- some days, it seemed that I couldn't take a step without being scanned for contraband spice or sliced weaponry. Rarely did they find anything, but the searches continued regardless.

But the restrictions on business, travel and virtually all other aspects of life on Dantooine were tainted by the Empire. Temple City, although technically an autonomous city-state, was nevertheless required to pay kick-backs to the Dantooine Imperial Command -- a percentage of our shuttleport travel fees and vehicle repair services. The fees were considerable, and would have been even greater if we hadn't elected to forgo all taxes entirely, sparing our citizens at least some of the expense and thus dodging some of the financial bullets through a loophole in the system.

Worst, however, was what I learned when I ventured to a secret Imperial research facility called The Warren with my friend and fellow citizen, La-la Kla-Eha. La-la told me that The Warren was something that I, as a person in a leadership role, needed to see. She had been there before, and served as my guide through the facility.

I regret that I must also remain vague on this point as well. Criticism of the Empire is frowned upon almost as much as loyalty to the Rebellion. Suffice it to say, the Empire's control of the facility was less than satisfactory, and many lives had been irrevocably altered because of their neglect. The Warren was a fearsome, dreadful place, to which I never wish to return.

I am thankful to La-la for showing me this facility, which laid the nature of the Empire out to me in the plain light of day. Prompted by these new-found realizations, I followed up on a few rumors that I had heard and journeyed to an undisclosed location on Corellia, where I was able to speak with some key Alliance recruiters. I underwent an initiation of sorts, which found me performing duty missions for several different commanders as my loyalty was tested. For a time I was under the command of Admiral Ackbar. Later, I did some side jobs for Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca.

Finally, I was given the singular honor of lending my service to the legendary Luke Skywalker himself.

I cannot disclose any information about that meeting. Master Skywalker is too precious to the cause to risk it. I can say, however, that it was extremely life-changing. Master Skywalker counseled me in the nature of the Force, imparting me with a great deal of information that was overwhelming in its significance.

This meeting with Luke Skywalker convinced me that joining the Alliance was furthering my Path toward my personal enlightenment, whatever that might be.

Master Skywalker's last piece of advice before releasing me to general duty and declaring me a sworn member of the Rebel Alliance was to visit the homestead of the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, on Tatooine.

He would not tell me why it was so important that I go there, but he insisted that I promise to do it. He spoke with an urgency that implied he knew something about me that I did not. I agreed, vowing to seek out the hermit's hovel as soon as I could.

Hero's Quests

The next period of my life was punctuated by several significant events, as well as many insignificant ones. For the sake of my readers' interests, I shall recount only those major events here that changed my life profoundly. Not all of these events may have taken place in the order in which I shall recount them.

The first notable event that I should record is my achievement of being named Hero of Tatooine.

I do not record this event because of any personal pride or need to demonstrate my superiority. I feel only that it is necessary to demonstrate the path that led me further to my ultimate destiny.

I had begun my training in the Teräs Käsi art, and had begun searching for suitable locations to practice my skills. I needed living targets to practice on, for the most realistic feedback, but I was not interested in harming innocent people or creatures of the good-natured variety.

The GDC members were most helpful in helping me find good hunting grounds. One such place in particular was located on the planet Tatooine, and commonly referred to as the Squill Cave, though I don't believe that it had any officially registered name. It was simply an extensive system of caverns below the ground near Mos Entha, which was infested with a large, rapidly reproducing colony of mountain squills. The beasts were able to replenish their numbers so quickly that it had proven impossible to eradicate them all. They were nasty, mutated creatures that served no valuable purpose. No one would miss them in the slightest. Even better, they were humanoid in form so they were well suited for practicing martial arts.

Each expedition I made to the Squill Cave was more and more successful. Eventually, I was able to defend myself so well that I could venture very deep into the cavern's dark reaches. Finally one day, after hours of combat, stealth and sweat, I found myself at the very bottom of the dank pit, face to face with an old man.

He was sitting by a small fire, in a modest encampment tucked away in a corner of the rock. I was so astonished to find such a sight at the bottom of a cavern, that I stood speechless before him for many minutes. Finally, he broke the silence and spoke, his raspy voice reverberating against the wet cavern walls.

"Well?" he said, "What, you've never seen an old man before?"

I shook myself out of my bewildered haze and stepped forward. I introduced myself and asked the man what he was doing at the bottom of the Squill Cave. He told me that he lived there during the warm season, taking refuge from the desert heat. The squills didn't bother him, he said, though he did not explain why. He could walk freely among them without fear of being attacked.

"You must be a warrior of some aptitude to have made it all the way down here in once piece," he said.

I shrugged and told him that I was a student of Teräs Käsi, not yet a certified Master, but well-learned and experienced.

He raised an eyebrow at this, and began to speak of the "world above," as he called it, and the political changes that were underway in that domain. It seemed a strange subject for an old hermit in a cave to be talking about with a bloody-handed stranger coated in squill mucus and gore, but I supposed that he didn't get much chance to talk with anybody down there. I told him that I was aware of the political strife caused by the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion that was said to oppose it, but that I had not chosen to become involved. He asked me whether I supported the Empire's ideals, as a matter of principle. Truthfully, I told him I did not.

The hermit said that Tatooine was in need of people like me, who believed in the autonomy of the people and who were strong enough to stand up for that which they believed. He asked me if I would be willing to validate my principles by helping those in need. I told him that I would.

Thus began a long quest to enact change in the lives of some of Tatooine's inhabitants, to right some wrongs and to uphold nature's balance. The hermit gave me several tasks to complete, and only cryptic information as to where I could find them. He said that a true hero of Tatooine would understand its people and would know where to look.

As it turned out, that was true enough. I had spent a great deal of time on Tatooine before and after moving to Temple City. I spoke with some people that I knew, in the Bestine cantina, for example, and soon learned of a few situations that sounded very similar to those that the hermit had described for me.

The tasks were varied in their nature. One required that I destroy a ravaging beast called a bladeback boar that was harrassing a community in the north. Another, a test of intelligence, required that I assist a bounty hunter in identifying her mark, who had hidden himself cleverly among a group of people, all of whom were so similar that he could not easily be singled out. Yet another quest took me into the desert east of Mos Eisley, where some pirates were being held in the cellar of a local ranch. I found their captain encamped but a few kilometers away. He pleaded with me to help them, saying that his compatriots had been framed. I went to the ranch the next morning and spoke with the rancher's wife, and realized that there was not a shred of truth in what the treacherous criminals had told me. I assisted the ranchers until the authorities were able to come and apprehend the pirates. Later, I helped a moisture farmer by infiltrating a bandits' cave where his kidnapped family was being held and leading them to escape.

Several weeks passed before the hermit told me that my tasks were complete. He presented me with a large, metallic orb, which glowed orange, seemingly under its own power. He told me that he spoke for the people of Tatooine, and that I had proven myself worth of the honorable title of Hero of Tatooine.

Brief Notice

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The Art of Teräs Käsi

I had valuable new knowledge of the Force. I had insights into the Path it seemed that I was destined to follow. I even had an ancient lightsaber, a reminder of K'te and of what the future might hold for me. Yet I still felt empty. There was still something missing.

The Holocron the Remnant had given me was silent. It did not respond to my thoughts or attempts to activate it. There was no voice in my head when I held it in my hands. I considered briefly that the Remnant might have been deliberately misleading me by giving me an artifact that was faulty, or worse, but it didn't take me long to decide that I did not care either way. I was through with the Holocrons. I would not seek out any more of them.

They had been intriguing guides for me, but I had decided the time had come for me to seize my own destiny. Perhaps there was indeed a great plan in place for me, but if there was, I was going to discover it on my own. It was time to follow the Path of my own accord.

Sales were good. They had been slow at first in Temple City, but soon I had trouble keeping up with demand. I kept my shop open on Tatooine as well, and the money started rolling in.

As most of my production was automated, I had time to devote to other pursuits. Having mastered the art of Fencing, I had realized that while it was an effective technique, it was still far inferior to the art of Teräs Käsi, the martial art I had seen Gerrvin apply so effectively in combat. I decided to learn it myself.

I had grown accustomed to the physical activity of a fighting art, so I knew what to expect. Nevertheless, it took an enormous amount of willpower and effort to learn the basics of Teräs Käsi. It was only through countless hours of repetition that I was able to get a grasp on the fundamental aspects of the art.

It seemed it would be a long road, but I was pleased that it was a road of my own making.

The Lessons of K'te

The lessons I learned from K'te would later prove to be invaluable to me. He knew a great deal about the Living Force, that element of the Force that influences our actions and senses most directly.

I was surprised to learn that he knew very little of the Jedi Knights. By this time I had done some research on my own and learned a good deal about the Jedi and the great power their order used to have.

I learned that K'te came from a remote Twi'lek tribe that had never had much to do with the civilized galaxy, and had cultivated its connection with the Force independently. From what I gathered, they weren't nearly as powerful as the Jedi Knights had once been. They understood the Force, however, and were able to craft lightsabers.

K'te explained to me that he had been sent to Dantooine to face the adversaries of the Remnant of Exar Kun as a rite of passage. If he returned, he would be granted elevated status in his tribe. If he failed, death was the only alternative.

With a heavy heart, I told him of my previous encounter with the Remnant, and of the Twi'lek that Gerrvin had fought and killed. K'te bowed his head at this.

"He was my cousin," he said.

I felt a great weight press upon my stomach. How could I have been part of this?

K'te soon reassured me, however. He told me that in the eyes of his tribe, his cousin died an honorable death, defending himself against the Remant's minion. It was part of his Path.

I asked K'te what he meant by that, and he told me that his tribe believed that every person had a Path to follow in life, which was connected to the Force. It was only with proper focus and attention that one could perceive whether one was following this Path correctly. If the omens and signs it provided were followed, it would eventually lead the person to becoming one with the Force - the ultimate goal of existence.

I told K'te the story of my family's separation, and of the Holocrons I had found and my feeling that there was something I was searching for, but had not yet discovered what it was.

"This is your Path," K'te said. "You feel the significance of the Force."

After many more hours of conversation, it finally came time to decide what to do about the Remnant of Kun.

"He expects me to return with proof of your death," I told K'te. "If I don't return, he will surely hunt me down and murder me."

K'te nodded. "The Remnant is indeed powerful with the Force. However, those that follow the Dark Side are easily influenced. Take this," he said, offering me a metal object.

"What is it?" I said, turning the object over in my hands.

"It is an ancient artifact of my people," K'te said, "A lightsaber from the old generations, hundreds of years ago."

"This is the sort of weapon I saw your cousin fight with," I said.

"Yes," K'te answered. "Only those sensitive to the Force may use them. They are very powerful. This one no longer functions, but it has great significance among my tribe. The Remnant knows this, and knows I would never willingly give it up."

"And yet you have," I said.

K'te nodded. "There is more to the Force than brute strength and feats of arms. There is cunning and mental strength. That is what my cousin failed to realize. I have no chance to destroy the Remnant - no one in my tribe does. However, by convincing him that you have killed me, I can defeat him."

"Defeat him?" I asked, "But he will not be harmed. He will continue as before, murdering and ruining lives."

K'te nodded again. "This is true. But the Remnant seeks the power of the Dark Side. Each such deed brings him more power. To deny him a victory such as this is the same as defeat. Followers of the Dark Side must feed their powers with evil, lest they weaken from starving their anger. You will give him this lightsaber, and I will return to my home. The Remnant will weaken, and another may yet have a chance to defeat him for good."

Thus agreed, we both packed up our campsite and went our separate ways, K'te setting off on foot to the South, while I mounted my speederbike and departed toward the Jedi temple ruins.

The Remnant was eager to see me. I could sense the greed in him immediately. He asked me hurriedly, "Is it done?"

I nodded, and offered him the ancient lightsaber.

The Remnant eyed it suspiciously. "This is an artifact of the old Republic. You got this from the Twi'lek?"

I nodded again, silently.

The Remnant inhaled, then raised his hands. "It is seething with the spirits of the ancient Jedi. Do not give this to me."

I put the lightsaber away in my pack, then looked back up at the Remnant.

"You have done well. Once again, I reward you." He handed me a small leather pouch. I could sense immediately that it contained a Holocron. "Now go. Get out of my sight."

I did as he asked, heading back for Temple City as fast as I could. My heart was light and my spirits raised. I felt that I had taken a significant step along my Path, and that my previous encounter with the Remnant of Exar Kun had been redeemed.

I didn't know if I would ever see K'te again, but I hoped that he found great praise among his tribe.

The Return of the Remnant

The early days of Temple City were tumultuous times. We had done extensive planning and we knew that it would take a certain number of inhabitants to keep the town self-sufficient. If we didn't have a population that was big enough, it would fail. On the other hand, if it grew too quickly, it might exhaust itself and also fail.

Altor, Readro, Spiderwell, Spydey, Brannoncyll and I all spent a considerable amount of time recruiting people to join us. It was a lot to ask of people to move to a completely new town - indeed, in some cases, a whole new planet - but we were able to take advantage of many interplanetary forms of communication. We were able to locate many people of a like mind as ourselves, who were looking to escape the influence of the Empire - not necessarily to oppose it directly, but only to be able to exert their own independence.

That is not to say that we had no citizens loyal to the Empire. We found many who were committed to the Imperial principles and who were looking to reside on a planet that offered the kinds of opportunities that could be found on Dantooine.

We accepted nearly everyone who wished to join us, as long as they agreed to abide by our guidelines and to work with the rest of us for the mutual benefit of our city. Personal politics generally gave way to the betterment of the greater good.

For a while, I was not sure that we would make it. Our growth was slow to get started. Once it got some inertia, however, it took on a life of its own and could not be stopped. It was not long before we had progressed our little economic and political unit far enough that we could afford such improvements as our own shuttleport, parking garage, cloning facilities and a medical center, in addition to such luxuries as a large cantina, numerous gardens and employment terminals. All of this carried a momentum of its own, helping to draw merchants and entrepreneurs to town.

As promised, I held regular elections, but no one ever ran against me. I hoped this was because they were satisfied with the way things were going. I did my best to listen to people's wishes and to shape Temple City to everyone's satisfaction.

In the meantime, I had grown quite proficient at the art of Fencing, but had grown rather bored with the repetition involved in maintaining my skills. I found myself concentrating on other pursuits. I learned to play music, and spent a great deal of time in Coronet on Corellia, where there is a famous cantina, filled wall to wall with all kinds of entertainers. I spent many nights there, losing myself in the music and participating in all manners of performances.

Even that could not hold my interest for long, however. The one constant was my vehicle sales business. I had meanwhile expanded and now had shops on two planets - Tatooine and Dantooine, in Temple City. Business was booming, and I had trouble keeping my inventory stocked. Spiderwell was doing equally well, and contributed greatly to the financial stability of the city, becoming its best recruiter and its singlemost generous investor.

I had little left to learn about Fencing, or music for that matter, but I didn't feel any closer to understanding the mysterious messages I had received from the Holocrons. I had money and, as Mayor of Temple City, a fair amount of power, yet I felt empty inside, as if something was missing, some integral part of my identity that I could not locate.

Not knowing what else to do, one night I jumped on my swoop bike and drove up to the Jedi temple ruins to think. I found myself sitting on an ancient, fallen column and staring at the ground, thinking about nothing and everything at once.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. I hadn't heard anyone approach, but all of a sudden I was certain there was something there.

"Hello," I said, cautiously.

"Good evening," a voice replied. I recognized it immediately. It was the Remnant of Kun, who I had met while I was here with Gerrvin, so many months ago.

I turned to face him. His gaunt face stared back at me, his eyes dark.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I am here. What more would you know?"

He continued to stare at me. "Another scourge has appeared. Are you prepared to aid me again?"

I considered. He could only mean another being like the young Twi'lek Gerrvin, Spiderwell and I had encountered. I shuddered inside to think of what had been done to him. Yet here, perhaps, was a chance to redeem my actions. If there was another like that young one, perhaps he could tell me where they came from, who they were, what the strange, glowing swords that they weilded were called. And, most importantly, why the Remnant wanted them dead.

I nodded slowly. "I will help you."

"Yesss," the Remnant hissed, "You will."

He gave me instructions on how to find the "scourge," and sent me on my way, demanding that I return before morning.

It was not hard to find the man. He was next to a small campfire a few kilometers off, and made no efforts to conceal his existence. I drove my swoop quite close to his campsite before shutting it down and disembarking.

The man was already on his feet, his weapon at the ready but not yet ignited. I stopped and surveyed him. He was a Twi'lek, no older than the last I had met. His skin was tinted orange and his lekku were drawn back behind his head. He looked at me with dark, intelligent eyes, and waited.

I raised my hand slowly. "I just want to talk," I said.

"The Remnant sent you," he answered, without moving his weapon.

I nodded. "He told me where to find you. But I am not here to do his dirty work."

The Twi'lek seemed to consider, looking me over. Then, gradually, his weapon dropped to his side in his hand. He seemed to relax, and I followed suit.

He bade me come closer, and we sat down together near his campfire. "What is it that brought you here?" he asked me.

"My name is Maast Lofor. I have questions," I said, "many, many questions."

The Twi'lek nodded. "My name is K'te. I will do my best to answer."

And thus began my first true lesson in the Force.

Temple City is Born

As it was, the last straw was the droid invasion of the city of Bestine. Many of our partners were there, and only a few escaped unscathed. The droideka assault was an intolerable affront of our autonomy. The Empire claimed it was necessary to regain control from the Tusken Raiders, who had become problematic as of late, but many eyewitnesses saw the droidekas gunning down as many innocent citizens as they did Sand People. They were not programmed for discretion on that mission.

We were fed up, to say the least, but our plans were already underway anyhow. Initial reports returned from Dantooine were very promising. There was a lot of open land, just waiting to be developed. I enlisted Brannoncyll Frost, one of our senior partners, to accompany me on an official scouting trip. We scoured a great amount of the areas that Altor and Readro told us were promising, and soon narrowed things down to a few key potential sites. A few weeks later, we assembled all of the senior members and set out with a crew to lay the foundations of our new City Hall.

Construction went very smoothly. We were relatively far from the nearest settlement (the small collection of buildings enclosed by a barricade, carrying no other name than the Dantooine Mining Outpost). The speederbike trek to the building site was long, but it could be endured. We would have a shuttleport when the time was right, but for now we decided it was better to build the more essential structures to completion first, for our own protection.

City Hall was erected a few hundred meters from the shore of a small crystalline lake in northeastern Dantooine. The new GDC headquarters was built just adjacent, and Spiderwell had his own crew building a large house opposite, forming three sides of a city center. Once construction on City Hall was complete, the GDC partners began arriving and setting up their own residences.

There were two important questions to be answered before we got any further. The first was what we would call our settlement; the second was who would lead it.

The first question was one that was heavily debated. In the end, everyone was able to agree on a fitting title for our town: Temple City, in honor of the ancient Jedi temple ruins, located only a few kilometers away. The name indicated no particular allegiance to any one person or group. All manners of Jedi had trained at the temple, centuries ago. All manners of people came to see its ruins - pilgrims, tourists, Imperials, and others. So would our City also forge its identity.

The second question answered itself, in a sense. The question of leadership essentially fell to a decision between Spiderwell and myself. The other partners were ready to do their part to contribute to our city/state and corporation, but they were too involved in their own matters to be able to take on the responsibility of leadership.

Spider and I were both extremely occupied with our own business efforts as well, but neither of us was willing to relinquish supervision of what we had built to another, less trusted party.

In the end, I volunteered to take the job, at least until the City was established. Spiderwell agreed, pledging his full support, financially and otherwise. I declared that I would be an appointed Mayor only until we were settled and established. At that point, there would be democratic elections and if the citizens of Temple City decided it was time for a replacement, I would oblige them willingly.

With the foundations of a great metropolis set firmly in the soil of Dantooine, we began our efforts to recruit settlers to our new town.

A City on the Hill

With our corporation grown to a sizeable population of partners, it was at about this time that Spiderwell and I seriously began to consider taking things to the next level. It had been clear to both of us from the beginning that, although credits would get us far, there were other things that could get us further.

Spider was acquainted with the mayor of Mos Nox, and had been impressed by the influence he had. At that time, "Nox," as most called it, was not the bustling metropolis it is today. It was still a small town, unsure of itself and its direction. Yet the mayor of the town was widely known and respected, and managed to accomplish all manners of things through his station as a politician.

Some of our members had commented quite early on that going this route was the way to ultimate success, and both Spider and I, as the two senior partners, agreed in principle. However, we knew that it was a matter of timing and would require skillful implementation, not to mention lots of preparation. It was now that we began to consider preparing.

We were a solid group, but we didn't yet have the numbers required to really branch off on our own. We were fairly independent as it was, but in truth we survived by making use of many of the facilities of Mos Nox and the nearby capitol of Bestine. We used Nox's shuttleport for transportation and we discussed our business deals over drinks in Bestine's cantina. We were not fully driven by our own power.

Spiderwell and I both envisioned capitalizing on a combination of politics, government and commerce. Right now, we had a corporation - it was time to turn that corporation into its next evolutionary identity:

A city/state.

As things stood, we were fully subject to the Imperial regulations and laws of the Bestine district. There was a system of power in place that prevented anyone in the region from rising above the level that was allowed by the Imperial officials. It was a glass ceiling. As long as you followed their rules, you could live comfortably, but you would never break through.

We knew that even if we found a place with more favorable legislation, we would never truly be free to achieve our potential unless we were in full control of our destiny. In short, we had to make the rules.

There would be a city/state, founded by us and governed by us. We would create its foundations and its identity. We would determine how all manners of business would be done within its borders. It would grant us freedom and independence.

With this in mind, I enlisted our closest comerades, Altor Carnaise and Readro Amec, to begin the search for a suitable location. We needed a place that was wild enough to have unclaimed, even unwanted territory, yet still populous enough to grant contact with the rest of the galaxy. We would need to strike a balance between isolation and civilization.

It wasn't long before they reported their findings to me. I listened to them with great apprehension. Their planet of choice was a ponderous one.

I still had disturbing dreams of the Remnant of Exar Kun, even weeks after the incident with the mysterious young Twi'lek. The violet plains and the crumbling ruins of the Jedi temple haunted and enticed me simultaneously.

No matter what I did, though, it seemed there was nothing I could do.

My destiny seemed inexorably tied to the planet Dantooine.

The Art of the Blade

It was some time before I could bring myself to make use of the Sith Holocron given to me by the Remnant of Kun. It wasn't just the circumstances under which I had acquired it, though those were daunting enough.

The object itself was profoundly disturbing. It emanated a powerful sense of evil, as if it were a thing that was alive and waiting to strike.

In the end, though, my curiosity won me over. I had to know what it would tell me.

What it said was this: "The path to ultimate power lies through strength and control. He who is strong enough to fight with one arm behind his back will become powerful indeed."

I frowned when this message darted through my mind. There was no mention of enlightment this time, only power. The message was different. Would heeding it lead me in a different direction? I considered. So far, following the instructions that the previous Holocrons had given me had not led me in any obvious direction, or awarded me any clear enlightenment. Following this one's instructions couldn't logically be much more dangerous.

But what did it mean - to fight with one arm behind one's back?

It was several days before I understood the answer. I was leaning against one of the columns of the shuttleport in Bestine, when I saw two men undertake a friendly duel against each other, to test (or show off) their skill at fencing. One of them pinned his left arm behind his back while fighting with the other.

Suddenly, I understood. As I watched the blades of the two men flash and whirl at each other with deadly precision and marveled at the speed of their footsteps, I knew that the time had come for me to learn to defend myself. I would learn the art of Fencing, though not to gain power, as the Holocron had suggested. Just watching the two friends duel each other in the dusty streets of Bestine had convinced me that it would be an effective way to defend myself. It seemed more accessible than they mystical Teras Kasi martial art that I had seen Gerrvin use, as well. I found a trainer who was offering lessons in the town of Mos Nox, nearby our home, so I paid a few hundred credits to learn the basics of the Fencing fighting style.

I had meanwhile established a sizeable bank account, thanks in no small part to the large donation the woman I met in Bestine had given me. Though I had become quite adept at creating droids, I found that there wasn't a strong market for it, and it didn't suit my technical inclinations. I still preferred to build speeders. Though they were complicated machines in and of themselves, their complexity was nothing compared to droids. I admired the simplicity of the powerful landspeeders, and decided to stick to what I knew best as my primary source of income, at least for now. Anyway, business had been picking up - I was able to hire a few clerks to do my selling for me, and I set up a permanent merchant's tent right outside Mos Nox. I had mining installations in the ground in several places, collecting the raw materials I needed, to keep my costs down.

As I didn't have to worry much about money anymore, I was able to travel more and concentrate fully on developing my Fencing skills. I found it difficult to find sparring partners, so I concentrated on fencing against the creatures roaming the outskirts of cities, the pests that nobody would miss. I became particularly fond of those large beasts called Pikets that roam the plains of Dantooine - they were large enough to present a challenge, yet not fierce enough to really hurt me.

I also invested in a suit of composite armor, which greatly decreased the pain I had to undergo while working on my skills. Spiderwell helped me often with his medical skills as well. I think he was happy to see me finally learning to defend myself. It's a brutal galaxy, after all - my experience in being separated from my family taught me that, if nothing else.

My thoughts still turned to them every day, though the rage had subsided and turned to a sort of driven determinism. I didn't know how learning Fencing could possibly lead me to my family, but something in my gut told me it was true. The Holocron was a significant object, one that demanded respect. I intended to follow my instincts until the day they led me astray.

So far, that day had not yet come.

The Remnant of Kun

I looked at the man standing in front of me, trying to determine something about his nature. Spiderwell had told me that he was a warrior of great power, but there was nothing about him in particular that exuded any exceptional strength. He was a lean man, muscular but thin, with long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail. In his right hand, he carried a small blade that curved around the outside of his knuckles. Beyond that, he carried no weapons.

Spiderwell noticed my hesitancy. "Don't worry, buddy," he said, "Gerrvin can handle it."

Spiderwell's recent message to me, requesting that I contact him as soon as possible, had sparked a flurry of activity. Spider, always the sort who learns the things not always meant to be known, had heard of a mystical site on the planet Dantooine, where the ancient Jedi once trained. There was a temple there that had fallen into ruins. It was now said that one of the Remnants of Kun resided there and would reward greatly those who did his bidding.

The trouble was that Dantooine was a very dangerous planet, with lots of nasty creatures roaming the wild. It was also likely that, if the Kun follower allowed us to speak with him at all, he would demand that we accomplish some difficult tasks for him. Neither Spiderwell nor I were much use in a fight at this point in our lives - he was an accomplished Doctor and I was merely an Artisan. We knew we had to recruit some help if we were to investigate this rumor.

Spiderwell immediately contacted Gerrvin, an acquaintance of his who had helped us both out a few times in the past. In his earlier days, Gerrvin had been a smuggler and had been able to obtain things that the everyday citizen could not hope to get his hands on. I had purchased a crate of Moun Gold, a variety of spice that provides great enhancement to thought processes. I had expected this to help me be a more effective Image Designer while I was still pursuing that profession. It did, but the side effects were less than pleasant and I later gave up using it. Still, Gerrvin was able to provide me with the stuff when I needed it, as it was a banned substance and technically illegal to possess. If any Imperial officer found it on me, there could be trouble.

I had never known Gerrvin to be a warrior, though, which is why I was surprised when Spiderwell showed up at the starport in Bestine with Gerrvin in tow. What's more, I knew that Gerrvin was at least partially aligned with the Empire, having done a few favors for them in the past. This made me a little uncomfortable, though I knew Gerrvin to be a decent person. I just hoped that he would live up to Spider's expectations.

The trip to Dantooine was long and expensive, and took us first to the planet Corellia, where we stopped over in Tyrena before departing for the remote Mining Outpost on Dantooine. Along the way, I learned that Gerrvin was a master of the Teras Kasi martial art. This explained a lot to me - I had heard it said that a Teras Kasi could bring a full-grown Ronto to its knees with a single blow. Having seen Rontos and understanding their size and girth, I wondered if this could be anything but illustrative hyperbole.

The Mining Outpost was small, consisting of little more than a few buildings and a landing platform, surrounded by a protective barricade. We wasted little time in climbing aboard our speederbikes and heading north.

The location of the rumored temple ruins was a good distance away, and the trip allowed us to take in the sights of the local environment. Dantooine fascinated all of us with its strange, purple grasslands and odd vegetation. We encountered a few hostile creatures along the way, but none of them had the pace nor mettle to keep up with our speedy vehicles. We continued unhindered.

After several kilometers, Gerrvin signaled a halt and reigned in the throttle on his bike. He dismounted and switched the machine off, pointing ahead into the gloomy woods.

Through the trees, I saw an eerie, flickering light. It glowed with a mysterious hue, seemingly all colors at once, yet none at all. I looked at Gerrvin questioningly. My Wookiee friend Spiderwell growled.

Gerrvin nodded. "That's him." He knelt down and opened his pack, removing several pieces of armor, which he quickly donned with expert, precise movements. The armor was beaten and worn, but clearly very strong. With a full suit of armor covering every recognizable feature, Gerrvin suddenly looked like the warrior Spiderwell had indicated him to be.

"Let's go," he said, starting forward.

The Remnant of Kun was a frightening looking man. He stood near a strange campfire as we approached, warming his hands and staring intently into its flames. I saw now that this was responsible for the strange light I had seen.

Gerrvin motioned for us to wait, then approached him cautiously. He stopped and bowed a few feet from the fire pit, and they spoke in hushed tones. I could not make out what it was they said, but when Gerrvin turned back to us, he nodded.

"He will accept our offer to do his bidding," he told us.

"Do his work?" I protested, "We're not here to slave for him."

Gerrvin put up his hand. "Call it work then. In any case, it's the same. We take it or we leave it."

"What do we have to do?" Spiderwell asked.

Gerrvin told us. It seemed that before the Remnant would allow himself to begin to trust us, we had to prove our mettle as competent warriors. There was a beast some kilometers away from the temple ruins that needed to be dispatched.

The conquering of this beast confirmed to me that Gerrvin truly was a Master of the Teras Kasi arts, and that this singular fighting style was indeed powerful. Spiderwell and I had barely dismounted from our speederbikes before the great lizard was already breathing its last gasping breath. We glanced at each other, almost unnerved by the power Gerrvin had demonstrated.

When we returned to the campsite, just outside the old Jedi temple ruins, Gerrvin once again spoke with the strange Remnant of Kun. Suddenly, he motioned us forward.

"You have shown me that you are somewhat capable of survival on this harsh world," the man said to all of us. "Perhaps you may be of some use."

"Tell us your bidding," Gerrvin intoned.

The man nodded grimly. "I do not reside on this forsaken world for my own entertainment, you know. I have a purpose here." He motioned at the distant, broken columns of the Jedi temple ruins. "The great Kun once did his work here. This place held great power for him. I am here to re-learn that which he knew. There is power beyond your imagination, waiting to be unleashed." He looked at us. "Unfortunately, there are those that would interfere with my purpose. I am beset by non-believers, heathens and thugs."

"What would you have us do?" Gerrvin asked.

"To the East, you will find a cloaked being, no taller than yourself. I have seen it roaming the plains not an hour ago. Dispatch this being with all haste. I do not believe that you will last very long against this creature, but you will buy me time at least. Go now."

Gerrvin nodded and turned, leading the two of us away with him. We were off and speeding to the East before I could protest.

I switched on my comlink and hailed Spiderwell. "Do you think this is a good idea? I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't worry," Spider's voice answered me above the rushing wind, "I trust him."

"You do?" I said, incredulous, "That crazy old man?"

"No," Spider answered, "Gerrvin."

Before long, Gerrvin called us to a halt once again. The three of us dismounted and surveyed the horizon ahead. Dantooine's distant sun was just setting, and the outline of a figure could be seen, just up a hill.

"There it is," Gerrvin said, "Let's go."

Wilfully, he advanced, brandishing his knuckler. I followed just behind, with Spiderwell at the rear, his med-packs at the ready.

When we neared the figure, it turned and revealed its face. I saw that it was a young Twi'lek male, with a pale, yellowish skin tone and bright, blue eyes. He couldn't have been more than 16 years old.

Gerrvin hesitated. The Twi'lek looked at him calmly, then said, "The Remnant sent you, did he not?"

Gerrvin nodded.

The Twi'lek sighed, then pulled back his robe and produced a short, cylindrical metal object in his right hand. "Then I see I have no choice," he said. His thumb flicked a button and the object flared to life with a bright yellow glow. A long saber extended from the cylinder and hummed with an electrical crackle. "Do what you must," the Twi'lek said.

Gerrvin wasted no more time. He was on the man like a flash, extending his arms in a strange configuration that seemed like it would be an awkward movement, yet sent the Twi'lek stumbling backward on his heels as if assaulted by a massive force. He did not fall, however, but came rushing back, swinging the strange, glowing sword madly.

It was clear that the Twi'lek was not well trained in the use of this weapon. Gerrvin easily side-stepped his lunge and sent the man sprawling to the ground. He pounced and a flurry of blows was unleashed from his deadly hands.

Only several moments later, the Twi'lek was defeated. He lay broken and bleeding on the violet grass. Spiderwell bent to check his pulse, then looked at me grimly. He was gone.

"It is done," Gerrvin said. "Let us return."

The Remnant was astonished to hear what we had done. He had not believed us capable of it. With great pleasure, he gave Gerrvin a leather bag, and gripped his shoulder tightly, grinning.

Though I had not laid a hand on the Twi'lek myself, I felt a terrible wash of guilt rush through me. The man had seemed resigned to his fate, had even seemed to know it was coming, yet I could not justify the actions we had all been a part of. I sensed something evil about this Remnant, and I could not bring myself to believe that killing the Twi'lek in his name had been the right thing.

Gerrvin was grim, as always, but did not seem displeased. Spiderwell's Wookiee features were difficult to read. I knew I would have to discuss this with him at great length, when we were alone.

Gerrvin opened the leather sack the Remnant had given him and drew out three glowing objects. They were three small, identical red pyramids, each no bigger than a small stone. Gerrvin handed one to each of us, a slight smile cracking his chiseled features.

"What is it?" Spider asked.

"This," Gerrvin said, "Is a Holocron."

I shook my head. "This is no Holocron. I've seen a Holocron - I've held two of them in my hand. Holocrons are blue cubes - this is a red pyramid." I examined the object closely. It was covered in runes similar to those on the blue Holocrons I had come across previously. There was something familiar here, despite the obvious differences...

"These," Gerrvin explained, "are of the Sith."

"The Sith?" I asked.

He nodded. "Very ancient, very rare. And very powerful. Be careful with them."

I held the Sith Holocron up closer to my face, trying to discern more of its intricate design.

I wondered what it would hold in store for me.

Spiderwell's Cousin

"Nice place you've got here," the man said to me, his features bent into a wry smile. He had the look of a man with confidence, who was always prepared to move at the slightest threat, but nevertheless exuded a calm nature that relaxed those around him.

I nodded. "Do I know you?"

He chuckled and said, "No, but I know you."

I cocked my head at him, not understanding.

The man leaned in and grinned at me, then said under his breath, "I'm Spiderwell's cousin." He stood upright again, pleased with himself.

"His cousin?" I said, not believing a word of it. This man was clearly a human being, while my friend Spiderwell was a smallish, alabaster Wookiee. Genetically, it didn't seem possible. The human was obviously up to more than he was choosing to reveal.

"In a manner of speaking," he answered me. "I'm his man on the inside. His eyes and ears. I'm the guy who Spider sends to do the things that Spider doesn't actually do, if you follow me." He winked at me again and extended his hand. "The name's Spydey Ryder. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd let me into this little group of yours."

That is how Spydey Ryder came to be part of the Galactic Domination Corporation. Several weeks after my chance encounter with the woman who gave me my second Holocron, Spiderwell and I decided to finally move on our plans to form an association of like-minded individuals who could help each other work to achieve their common goals.

We formed a legal corporation under the laws of the greater Bestine district of Tatooine (which, admittedly, were rather loose - Tatooine is not a planet where legal order reigns supreme, to say the least). It was called the GDC somewhat out of irony, though we did intend to grow our respective businesses until they were formidable economic forces.

At the very start, our group consisted of only the two of us and a somewhat pesky but enthusiastic individual named Dunn Dakari. We soon met others who wanted to join us, namely Readro Amec, Altor Carnaise and Brannoncyll Frost.

Now, with the addition of Spiderwell's "cousin," Spydey Ryder, we had enough members to solidify our little band. Spider and I teamed up and built a new headquarters for the corporation, nicknamed it the GDC HQ and set up shop inside. I volunteered to take on the responsibility of being named leader of our group, though I made few decisions entirely on my own.

Throughout all of this, the formation of our corporation held only a fraction of my real attention. I was not able to keep my mind from drifting to the Holocron that the woman had given me as a gift in Bestine that night, and the message that it had given me when I held it in my hands the next day:

"You have progressed along the path of your personal destiny. In order to find the enlightenment you seek, you must learn to create companions for those in need."

The message had drifted through my mind like a soft breeze.

Create companions for those in need? Whatever could that mean?

A few days of quiet contemplation had led me to the decision that the only way that I would personally be capable of creating any kind of companions for those in need would be to engineer droids - semi-autonomous robots that can assist people with a multitude of tasks. With that in mind, I spent most of my free time during the formation of the GDC teaching myself how to build droids. By the time our HQ was completed, I had progressed to a level of skill that allowed me to construct any type of droid imaginable, in only a short time.

I felt satisfied with this achievement, knowing that I had learned something that could easily support me if my vehicle sales business should ever fail. But I felt no closer to enlightenment.

I would not feel that I had progressed until one fateful day when I received a message from Spiderwell on my personal data terminal...

"Maast - contact me immediately, I've learned something important..."

A Chance Encounter

The Image Design profession, which I now had a solid handle on, had suddenly lost all of its appeal.

The challenge of learning the trade had kept me interested, but now that I had risen to the top of the ranks, I found that I was simply bored with it. There was nothing more to learn, no more challenges to overcome.

What's more, it didn't pay very well. I was able to charge about 10,000 credits for a full alteration, but customers were not easy to find. I was getting sore legs standing around in Anchorhead, hawking my services to passersby. I didn't see how this career was going to take me anywhere.

Because of my disinterest in image designing, I had meanwhile returned to my mechanical endeavors, and had apprenticed under a few masters of that trade so that I was able to learn how to build my own vehicles. It was a proud day when I crafted my very own example of the sturdy, if common and a bit slow, X-34 Landspeeder. Here, I realized, was an opportunity to make some real money. With a few modifications, I knew I could build some vehicles that others would be very interested in buying.

It may sound to some like I am unduly focused on the attainment of wealth, but the fact of the matter is that I was intimately focused on determining the meaning of the strange, blue cube that had sent me on the image designer path and had spoken to me of Enlightenment. In order to do that, I needed money. I needed to make money in order to have the time to be able to follow what I felt in my soul to be the path of my destiny.

So I began to sell vehicles. I started with a few that I was able to build myself, improving them with the help of the public crafting stations outside the cantina in Bestine. I would offer the ownership deeds to anyone who was looking to buy one. After doing some investigation into what the competition was charging, I found a price scheme that seemed to work. My small business was off and running.

One day, while selling a deed to a friendly Trandoshan musician from Talus, I noticed a dejected woman sitting against one of the outer walls of the Bestine starport. After I finished my business with the musician, I approached her.

Despite her depressed state, she was quite willing to talk with me. I learned that she had become disenchanted with everything she knew. She told me that life seemed like a game to her, and that she no longer had any fun playing it.

Of course I was concerned as to what she might mean by this statement, but she assured me that she was not going to do anything rash, but was only going to join a recluse group she had heard about in a secluded area on the planet Dathomir. This group required that its devotees rid themselves of all worldly possessions so that they might fully concentrate on their efforts to find the true nature of their spiritual calling.

The woman's plan rang true with me. I understood this to be a noble endeavor, and I offered to help her in any way that I could. She brightened at that, and told me that she had been waiting for someone to come along with just that kind of offer. She asked if I could spare the credits to purchase a seat on a transport to the distant planet of Dathomir.

I considered. The fare was quite high, but it did seem that the cause was just. I was hesitant that the whole thing might be a scam, but something about the woman seemed to reassure me that she was trustworthy.

I smiled and handed her the necessary credits. She stood up and bowed, thanking me profusely.

"Here," she said, offering me a satchel. "These are my possessions. I'd like you to have them."

I took the satchel and opened it cautiously. It felt quite strange to take ownership of something I knew to be everything a person had in the world.

To my amazement, I saw a familiar blue glow emanating from the bag.

"I thought it might speak to me," the woman said, "but it was silent. Perhaps it will speak to you, who are so kind."

I reached into the satchel and pulled out the source of the blue glimmer - a cube, seemingly identical to the one that had suddenly appeared in my own pack several weeks before.

"I've seen these before," I told her. "Do you know what it is?"

She nodded. "It is called a Holocron. Some say it is a guide to finding a path to the Force."

"The Force?" I asked her. "What is that?"

Thus began a long conversation that lasted long into the night. The woman explained to me what she knew of the Force, a mysterious energy field that surrounds and fills all living things, binding them together. She had once met a hermit out beyond the Dune Sea, who had mentioned a few things about it to her. She did not know much more than that, but had many ideas about personal destiny and how the Force might tie into it, and these were subjects which captivated my interest.

Finally, as dawn approached, she told me it was time for her to depart. As we both rose, I suddenly noticed the odd weight of the satchel she had given me. There was more in the bag. I looked inside, and was astounded to find a stack of high-value monetary units worth 500,000 credits.

I looked up at her, amazed.

The woman shrugged, and only told me she was not permitted to take it with her.

"But why did you ask me for the shuttle fare?" I asked, perplexed.

"The elders I seek only allow those to join who have been aided by the selfless gift of another in order to make the journey. I apologize for keeping this from you, but it was necessary. I would not have otherwise been allowed acceptance."

With a smile and a wave, she boarded the transport bound for Dathomir. As I waved back to her, I wondered yet again at what the future held in store for me, and what strange things this new Holocron might have to say...

Humble Beginnings, Part Three

One does not master any profession without much practice, much less a complicated and intricate profession like that of Image Designer. The details of such skills are only learned through constant repetition and hours of concentration.

I soon discovered that it was much more beneficial to have a practice partner rather than to hone my skills on my own humble appearance. I began looking for people who were interested in working as subjects for my craft.

Those I initially found were helpful, but usually required payment in the form of Imperial credits, something I rarely had many of. I grew weary of this and considered going back to making deliveries of repaired items, though in truth, I loathed the thought.

It was therefore a welcome stroke of luck that I happened to run into a friendly wookiee by the name of Spiderwell, who lived just outside the city of Mos Nox. He was more than happy to help me learn the Image Design trade, as he was dabbling in it himself. Even after he gave it up to pursue his medical studies full time, he still did me the favor of allowing me to practice my skills on him. Wookiees are particularly challenging when it comes to Image Design, as they are covered head to foot with fur and have very subtle features.

I spent a lot of time with Spiderwell while learning the trade, and subsequently we became fast friends. We were full of grand ideas in those days, of how we would form a corporation and become the greatest economic power in the galaxy...

For the time being, though, it was enough to progress in my skills so that I was worthy of the title Master Image Designer.

Part of me expected something significant to take place once my goal had been achieved, but there was nothing except the satisfaction of having risen to the top of the field.

I was confident, however, that I was truly on the path to Enlightenment - whatever that might prove to be.

Humble Beginnings, Part Two

My inital wanderings on this planet were random and ill-conceived. I had never been on my own before, and had no idea how to properly take care of myself. I had to learn everything from the beginning, all on my own.

Putting the meager technical skills passed on to me by my father, I was able to make a small amount of credits by tinkering and repairing devices for paying customers. It took a great while, but eventually I learned many more skills and became an Artisan of some reknown.

Before long I was approached by a politician from northern Tatooine, who told me that if I agreed to move to his city, he would provide me with my own house and monetary assistance. As I had no residence and spent my nights under the stars in the desert, the offer was too generous to resist. I soon found myself the resident of a small village in northeastern Tatooine, and the owner of a secure, if rather generic-looking and small house.

The benefits of this arrangement soon proved themselves to be meager indeed. The town was a city of ghosts, of people that I never saw or spoke to. I was alone among hundreds of houses and buildings. What's more, the mayor of this town, who approached me to reside there, was rude and unfriendly. I found myself spending less and less time at my own house.

One day, while running a few parts from Mos Oasis to Mos Entha, I reached in my pack for my delivery and to my surprise, I found a strange, glowing object. It was a cube, no larger than my fist, and radiating a strange, blue light. I had no idea where it had come from.

When I returned home for the night, I pulled the cube out again and examined it more closely. I now saw that it strange runes inscribed on all sides, and that it pulsated ever so slightly, as if instilled with some strange power just waiting to be unleashed.

But how to unleash that power? And how to use it?

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than the cube suddenly flared to life. Blue light poured out of it and nearly blinded me with its intensity. In my mind, I heard a voice. It spoke to me softly, but clearly.

"In order to find the enlightenment you seek," it said, "You must learn the ways of the Image Designer."

I considered this. An Image Designer, I knew, was a person who was able to assist another in changing their appearance. On my home planet of Rori, they were often employed by the government in the intelligence service, to alter the appearance of their agents. It was not a profession that I had ever considered for myself.

According to this mysterious artifact, however, it seemed that learning this profession might help me find enlightenment. What could that mean?

In my mind, at that point in my life, there was only one possible answer. Enlightenment meant discovering the fate of my family.

I resolved that I would become a Master Image Designer, if it was the last thing I did.

Humble Beginnings, Part One

As these Chronicles begin the record of my life after it has already begun (indeed, a great deal later), I believe it might be informative to record a brief summation of my existence thus far, so that all of the relevant historical points are included.

I was born in a small community on the planet Rori, to middle-class parents who worked hard to earn what they had. My father was a shipwright and my mother was a lobbyist - an unlikely pairing, but one that functioned better than most of those others that I knew.

My childhood was relatively uneventful, punctuated only by the usual adventures of youth and the common mishaps of adolescence.

My father always intended that I take up his trade, to work as a designer of interplanetary merchant-class craft that traveled the entire galaxy. Though the sleek design and powerful engines that propelled my father's ships were intriguing, I never had much interest in life beyond Rori. Space was a vast, empty place where there was little to do but freeze to death.

All of that was forcibly changed when my father declared that we would take a vacation on Naboo. His performance at work had earned him the right to take a Rori month off and travel where he pleased in one of his own ships. Since birth, he had always dreamed of seeing the great palace of Theed, so there was little I or my mother could do to dissuade him from this idea. As I was not yet of a fully grown age, I had no choice but to go along.

Halfway to Naboo, the hyperdrive on the ship failed, and we found ourselves bouncing down from light speed directly into Imperial restricted space.

Without hesitation or warning, our ship was fired upon. The resulting blast sent me careening across my cabin, where my head collided with the sharp corner of my bedframe and knocked me unconscious.

When I awoke, I found myself face to face with an Imperial medical officer. He explained that I had been transferred to an Imperial transport and was to be offloaded soon. My questions about my parents were avoided and never directly answered.

After a few hours of waiting in a featureless cabin that was little more than four walls, I was informed that the transport had entered orbit around our destination planet. I was to disembark immediately.

I was given a CDEF blaster for my own protection, and shuttled down to the planet. I stepped off the gangplank and watched the ship take off, leaving me alone on a strange planet, with no knowledge as to the fate of my family.

As I later discovered, I had been offloaded onto the planet Tatooine, a desert world that I had never heard of, in the city of Mos Eisley. And such began the next great stage of my life.

It Begins

After so much has transpired in my life, it has become apparent to me that a record of my actions is needed, so that others may learn from my mistakes and benefit from knowing of my achievements.

With this in mind, I begin the chronicles of my life.